1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to displaying a holographic three-dimensional (3D) image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the increase in demand for 3D image display apparatuses, research for a spatial optical modulator which may be employed in apparatuses for displaying a holographic 3D image has been conducted.
Compared to a method of using a binocular parallax, a method of generating a 3D image using the principle of holography causes little eye strain and forms a very natural stereoscopic image.
To obtain a desired image in a typical holography method, an interference pattern is obtained by irradiating an object with two or more light beams, e.g., a reference beam and a writing beam, and a hologram pattern is formed by projecting the interference pattern onto a material having a refractive index which varies with light. Thereafter, a stereoscopic image of the object is reproduced by irradiating the reference beam onto the hologram pattern. However, although this method may be used to obtain a single image, it is difficult to use this method to realize various images or a video.
Recently, to form a hologram pattern, methods capable of generating a pattern corresponding to a 3D image using a virtual method through computation using a computer have been proposed instead of a method directly using existing light interference. Along with the improvement in computer performance, the possibility of realizing a 3D video by using a computer generated hologram has gradually increased, and accordingly, an optical modulation device capable of reversibly writing/reproducing a generated hologram pattern is desired.